Apple crumb cake recipe is ‘just begging to be made’ this October for ‘true fall bliss'

October has arrived, which means lots of people will be craving something sweet to get cozy with now that the chillier weather has arrived. This caramel apple crumb cake is the perfect treat to make to get you in the mood for fall. 

It is also called Big Apple crumb cake, due to being a popular dessert in New York. It was brought to the city by German immigrants. Not only is it moist and fluffy, but is incredibly sweet and flavorful due to its cinnamon and caramel toppings. 

This melt-in-your-mouth dessert is perfect to have with a cup of tea or hot chocolate to keep warm now that the colder and darker nights have arrived. 

This particular recipe was developed by baker and cookbook author Stephaine Simmons, who said that caramel apple crumb cake is “just begging to be made in October!” 

Stephaine has shared this delightful recipe in both a video online and on her website. She wrote: “My caramel apple crumb cake is made with a fluffy layer of spice cake, a layer of caramelized cinnamon apples, and a generous amount of crumb topping. Finish it off with a drizzle of salted caramel sauce for true fall bliss!”

READ MORE: Apple cider chicken recipe is the ultimate cozy fall dinner

Caramel apple crumb cake recipe

Ingredients 

For the caramel sauce (optional): 

• One cup of granulated sugar
• Half a cup of heavy cream
• Six tablespoons of salted butter (85g) 

For the apples:

• Two large baking apples (such as Honeycrisp or Pink Lady) 
• Three tablespoons of salted butter (42g)
• Three tablespoons of brown sugar (40g)
• Half a teaspoon of cinnamon 

For the crumb top cake layer:

• Half a cup of salted butter (113g)
• Half a cup of brown sugar (106g)
• Three tablespoons of granulated sugar (36g)
• One and a three-quarter cup of all purpose flour (173g)
• Half a tablespoon of cinnamon

For the cake: 

• Two cups of all-purpose flour (173g) 
• Half a cup of granulated sugar (105g)
• Quarter of a cup of brown sugar (53g)
• Three-quarters cup milk (80ml)
• One large egg
• Three tablespoons of full-fat sour cream (45g) 
• Two tablespoons of baking powder 
• One tablespoon of vanilla extract
• Quarter tablespoons of salt
• Half a tablespoon of cinnamon 
• Quarter of a cup of salted butter (around four tablespoons)

For the cake's middle layer: 

• One tablespoon of cinnamon 
• Three tablespoons of brown sugar (40g) 

Kitchen Equipment: 

• Non-stick Pot
• Glass bowl 
• Mixing bowl 
• Nine-inch cake pan
• Parchment paper 

Instructions 

To begin, preheat your oven to 350F. 

Make the salted caramel sauce. Cook sugar in a non-stick pot on a medium until it melts for around 10 minutes, making sure to keep mixing with a wooden spoon. It should become a deep amber liquid before the sugar dissolves. Make sure the sugar has completely melted and then mix the butter and heavy cream. Once ready, take off the heat and set aside to cool. 

Prepare your apples by peeling and slicing them and placing them in a pan on medium heat with butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon for around six to eight minutes. Once cooked, set them aside to cool down. 

Now it is time to make the cake batter. Cream together both butter and sugar until a light and fluffy yellow mixture, and then add the wet ingredients which are the egg, sour cream, milk, and vanilla extract. Mixture together until smooth and then add your flour and other dry ingredients slowly and mix until you have a slightly thick batter. 

Next, whisk you have to make the crumb topping. Melt butter in a glass bowl over a pot of boiling water, and set aside for five minutes until it has cooled down. Once cool, add the melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon. Gently stir until large crumbs begin to form. 

Assemble your cake. Place parchment paper on your cake pan and grease with butter. Spread half the cake mixture and on top sprinkle some cinnamon and brown sugar in order to make a cinnamon sugar ripple in the middle of the cake. Add the remaining cake batter, then spread out your apples, and then add the crumb topping on the very top of the cake. 

Time to cook. Bake for around 40 minutes, but check around the 35-minute mark. Use a toothpick prick in the middle to see if is ready. If you get wet batter on the toothpick, the cake needs a few more minutes to cook. Once ready, the crumbs will appear a golden brown color. 

Once ready, take out the oven and allow to cool in the cake tin. Slice and serve your delicious cake while adding a dollop of caramel sauce.